Frogs for Sale

A few years ago, a passenger was making his way through the security check at the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica. He seemed like an ordinary tourist, except for one thing—his luggage was filled with food containers. When officials opened them, they found 184 frogs and 203 tadpoles. The stash was one of Costa Rica’s biggest wildlife-smuggling cases ever.

Police believe the man planned to sell the animals, which had been taken illegally from the wild. Why would people want to buy stolen frogs? “They’re beautiful,” says Sebastián Valdivieso, head of the Wildlife Conservation Society branch in Ecuador. The striking exotic animals are highly prized as pets by collectors around the world.

A few years ago, a passenger came to the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica. He tried to go through security. He seemed like any other tourist, except for one thing. His bags were filled with food containers. Officers opened them and found 184 frogs and 203 tadpoles. The stash was one of Costa Rica’s biggest wildlife-smuggling cases.

The animals had been taken illegally from the wild. Police believe the man planned to sell them. Why would people want to buy stolen frogs? “They’re beautiful,” says Sebastián Valdivieso, head of the Wildlife Conservation Society branch in Ecuador. Collectors around the world want the eye-catching exotic animals as pets.

Like Costa Rica, Ecuador is another country targeted by frog smugglers. The nation is home to 578 known frog species, about half of which are found only in Ecuador. To curb wildlife trafficking, scientists there have come up with a unique idea. They’re breeding native frogs in a lab and selling them lawfully. They aim to outsmart smugglers by reducing the demand for illegally traded frogs. That would allow more of the animals to remain in the wild—where they belong. 

Like Costa Rica, Ecuador has a problem with frog smugglers. The nation is home to 578 known frog species. About half of these are found only in Ecuador. Scientists there came up with a unique idea to fight wildlife trafficking. They’re breeding native frogs in a lab and selling them lawfully. They hope to outsmart smugglers by lowering the demand for illegally traded frogs. That would allow more of the animals to remain in the wild, where they belong.

The exotic frogs targeted by smugglers come mainly from tropical countries in Central and South America. These warm, wet regions have a greater diversity of frogs than anywhere else in the world.

Each frog species plays an important role in its native ecosystem. Frogs eat insects, spiders, and other bugs, and they’re also prey for birds or other animals. Removing a frog species from the wild can affect the community of organisms in its environment, says Rudolf von May, a biologist at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

Smugglers steal frogs mostly from tropical countries in Central and South America. These regions are warm and wet. They have more types of frogs than anywhere else in the world.

Each frog species is important to its ecosystem. Frogs eat insects, spiders, and other bugs. They’re also prey for birds or other animals. Taking a frog species from the wild can affect the living things in its environment, says Rudolf von May. He’s a biologist at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

Many countries don’t allow people to export wild frogs, but smugglers disregard the laws. Sometimes they offer local people money to catch a certain species that is popular among pet owners in places like the U.S., Europe, or Japan. The smuggler pays just a few dollars for a frog that will later sell for a much higher amount. He or she then packs the frogs in containers—like the smuggler described earlier did. Then the trafficker puts the frogs in a suitcase and flies off to sell them—usually over the internet or at exotic pet shows.

Many countries don’t allow people to remove wild frogs. But smugglers ignore the laws. Sometimes they pay local people to catch a certain species. They choose one that pet owners in places like the U.S., Europe, or Japan want. The smuggler pays a few dollars for a frog but will sell it for much more. He or she packs the frogs in containers. That’s what the smuggler described earlier did. Then the smuggler puts the frogs in a suitcase and flies off to sell them. The frogs are usually sold over the internet or at exotic pet shows.

Not everyone agrees that captive breeding will reduce trafficking, though. The demand for exotic frogs could be so great that those produced by captive breeding might not put a dent in the market. Guarderas admits that’s a risk. But she says groups like Wikiri help in other ways. Their presence educates frog collectors about the importance of buying animals legally versus removing them from the wild. “I can’t say we’re winning the battle against smuggling yet,” she says. “But that’s what we’re fighting for.”

Not everyone agrees that captive breeding will lower trafficking. The demand for exotic frogs is great. The frogs from captive breeding might not put a dent in the market. Guarderas says that’s a risk. But she says groups like Wikiri help in other ways. They teach frog collectors that it’s important to buy animals legally, not remove them from the wild. “I can’t say we’re winning the battle against smuggling yet,” she says. “But that’s what we’re fighting for.”